Is it possible to get a mate for my Tomato Clown?

[homebrewdude]

I have a 120gal tank
1 tomato clown

I would like to get another tomato and have a pair.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Will these tomatos be ok with other reef safe fish?

I do plan on getting anenome as soon as my tank is old enough.

Do clowns have teeth?

 

[dantodd]

teeth? Yes, but very small. They are clearly visible in your picture. (nice pic BTW)

pair? Read the pairing document in the FAQ thread that is stickied at the top of this forum.

safe? They are usually safe with other reefsafe fish. I wouldn't keep them with damsels or other clowns. I also wouldn't keep them with anything that would want to eat them, lions etc.

 

[homebrewdude]

So no more clowns???
That stinks
I was planning on getting some standard type clowns

 

[dantodd]

Relax, don't worry....

You can always setup another tank.

 

[homebrewdude]

Yah right...
I went to the LFS and looked at some clowns.
They had one about the same size as mine. A bit smaller.
I wonder if I should just get rid of what I have and start out with a pair that is less aggressive??

 

[homebrewdude]

I picked up the smaller clown today
I had the bag floating in the tank. I thought my other clown was going to open the bag for me!

After it sat for some time, then I ran water in and out of the bag, I dumped the fish in.

I was rather surprised by the response.
It was disorientated as usual but a few minutes later he was swimming normal.

My bigger fish took a few open mouth pecks. So I put some food in the tank to distract him.

Then the larger clown was flaring his gills and swimming up.
The new smaller one was swimming up and backwards.

Now they are swimming together in a around a corner of the tank.
A few small pecks and gill flares, but not that much.

I am rather surprised. I had tried to pair a med Oscar in the past. He pecked the other fish to submission… I had to remove them.

I will see how they are in the morning. If the small one is beat-up at all, I will put the bigger one in my sump for awhile.

 

[homebrewdude]

If it matters I bought the larger clown 2 years ago from the same LFS
I don't remmber if it was tank raised.
This new one was marked as tank raised.

From what I have read the tank raised fish are supposed to be deeper orange/red color. Which both of mine are.

 

[homebrewdude]

Still seems ok now.
I did notice a larger chunk out of one top fin.

They are ignoring each other now.

 

[Wryknow]

If the little one is still alive it is a good sign. Pairing off a mature tomato is kind of a hit or miss proposition. I had more luck once my individual (female) clown had a chance to grow a bit and get settled in. I think that the larger disparity in size the greater the chance of success since a clear line of dominance is pre-established. You will need to let them sort it out themselves. Aggression, including biting and torn fins, is a foregone conclusion IMHO.

 

[homebrewdude]

Added some rock today and moved it all around
Now I have 2 islands on the ends.

The clown pair are now sticking together.
No more nipping
The larger one will brush his side on the smaller one.

They are hanging out in a new cliff that I made.

 

[homebrewdude]

For the last 2 days they have stuck to opposite sides of the tank.
When I fed them they both came together to get the food.
No more fighting at all.

But they are not together.

 

[sarahkucera]

You're taking one heck of a chance in not quarantining that new clown. Additionally, your methods of acclimation are not good for your fish or for your tank.

Acclimation for saltwater fish should be by drip method to slowly bring the chemistry for the water the fish is in to be similar to the water you are going to put the fish in. Fish from the LFS should never never be dumped into your home tank, instead the fish should be gently netted and placed in the tank.

 

[homebrewdude]

Both fish are now swimming and eating together now.

They even seem to be swimming close now.

The few bite marks have all healed, everything seems good.

I don't have a quarantin tank. I will be chaning my acclimation methods next time. I have read more on it.

 

[dantodd]

In the immortal words of Charlie Papazian: RDWHAHB

 

[homebrewdude]

Trust me, that is my exact approach....

I like to let things take their course. Wait until you see the pics I post of my tank....

 

[dantodd]

I have my first batch in 12 years sitting in primary right now. Already planning my second batch!

 

[homebrewdude]

Good deal!!

I generally make a crap load every year.
But my son, one in the oven, and reef tank have took some of my time away.

I just finished 35gal of wine

 

[dantodd]

Birth of a child sounds like a good excuse to brew a nice barrel-aged barleywine.